Second Chance (21 page)

Breath shuddered through her. Cole was right, but that didn’t make her feel any less stupid.

“As small as this town is, I’m surprised you never heard the rumors about your mother … no matter how long ago it was.”

She snorted. “No one would have told me. When you’re the town outcast, hearing gossip firsthand is rare, especially since much of the gossip was about me or my mom.” Keeley ticked off her supposed sins. “She was an unwed mother. My father was from Venezuela, so my skin, hair, and eyes are darker than most people’s around here and we were dirt poor. Not the best way to gain popularity in a small town.”

“Kids can be cruel.”

“Kids, yeah. But it was their parents who reinforced it. You know that old saying ‘The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.’”

“Where there’s smoke, there’s fire.”

She was surprised to see a rare glint of humor in Cole’s eyes. Despite her anger at her stupidity, Keeley felt a lift to her spirits. This amazing man in front of her was trying to make her feel better. Taking a long breath, she set her chin determinedly and eased into the simple game. “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.”

A small nod as if he approved. “In for a penny, in for a pound.”

“A penny saved is a penny earned.”

As they traded adages, they started running again, their pace increasing into a steady jog. While her feet pounded the dark earth, her mind was free to come up
with nothing but sayings, and for a few precious minutes, her churning, gut-wrenching emotions were at rest.

Later, when she was alone, she would think about all she’d learned. All that had happened. She had been manipulated in every area of her life … did any of this involve the abduction of her children? If so, was the person behind it Elizabeth after all? Could the woman despise and resent her mother so much that she was willing to destroy not only Kathleen’s daughter, but also her grandchildren … even if those grandchildren were hers, too?

Cole kept a close eye on Keeley’s pace and energy level. She hadn’t run in over a month and would most likely be sore tomorrow. A slight soreness would be good for her, but too much and she wouldn’t get the sleep he knew she needed.

Part of him felt like shit for telling her about the possible relationship between Stephen’s father and her mother. Especially when she’d come so quickly to the conclusion he had. But she had a right to know. No one should have their life manipulated and controlled as she had. He had lived a year under the control of a maniac. Every person had a right to control their own destiny.

In the short amount of time he’d been in Fairview, Cole had received several questions and more than a few warnings about his involvement with Keeley. She’d done nothing to deserve their hatred and prejudice other than to have the audacity to marry the town’s wealthiest bachelor. He could understand the jealousy, but the hatred had stunned him.

And then he’d talked to Robert Mendel and it all began to make sense. Elizabeth had perpetuated the hate. Did Keeley realize how very dangerous her mother-in-law was?

What kind of man was Stephen Fairchild to marry a
woman to spite his mother and then sleep with everyone he could? Especially when his wife was a woman like Keeley, who was beautiful on the inside as well as the outside.

Hearing Keeley’s breathing increase to pants, Cole slowed his pace. She immediately slowed hers as well. A slight sheen of perspiration covered her skin. The black spandex shorts and white T-shirt she wore only emphasized her sleek muscles and luscious curves. A surge of lust swept through him. Unwanted and damn inconvenient.

Every night he passed by her door, he had to make himself not stop and check on her. He was concerned for her, yes. But that wasn’t the only reason. Their night together played over and over in his mind. He thought about all the places he hadn’t touched her, hadn’t kissed her.

His eyes closed briefly to refocus, then he said, “Let’s head back.”

Trying to keep his mind off what he shouldn’t be thinking of, Cole shot her a searching glance. “Why haven’t you run since it happened?”

The stricken look in her eyes slashed through him. He’d figured there was a reason other than she just didn’t feel like it.”

“I trained for years to be the fastest runner I could be, but when it counted the most, I failed. I couldn’t catch the bastard. He had my babies and I couldn’t catch him.” Her eyes swam with tears. “You’ll never know how many times I wish I had let that man take me, too. At least I would have—”

Astounded and infuriated, he grabbed her shoulders and jerked her around to face him. “Don’t ever say that. Do you have any idea what they would have done to you?”

“Yes,” she whispered. “But at least I would have been with my girls.”

“And they still would have been sold, Keeley. You would have been raped, maybe even sold yourself or murdered.”

“But I—”

“But nothing. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that if you hadn’t fought, you could have saved your children. Always fight, Keeley. No matter what. Okay?”

Her eyes closed briefly and then she looked up at him with such pain and longing, Cole gave up fighting the inevitable. Lowering his head, he kissed her gently, softly, renewing their bond in seconds. When she gasped, he swallowed the sound and pressed deeper. Her long arms wrapped around his neck as she opened her mouth under his. With a growl of need, Cole pulled her hard against him and took what he’d been dreaming about for days. She tasted better, even more delicious than before: exotic spice, sweet musk, hot, sexy woman.

His hands had a will of their own as they roamed over the short T-shirt and then slid under to feel the soft, creamy, slightly damp flesh beneath.

The moan she released vibrated through him, urging him on. Desire throbbing hard, Cole’s hands had only one destination. What he’d been dreaming and fantasizing about since he’d first seen her. What he had desperately regretted not tasting before, he was now determined to make a reality. His hands covered her breasts and he groaned as the plump, sweet mounds almost overflowed. Her nipples, hard and distended, pressed against his palms. His mouth watered, dying for a taste; imagining the tight, sweet berries on his tongue, in his mouth, he slowly raised her shirt.

Keeley’s eyes glittered with desire as she rubbed her body against his. She was panting, wanting him as much as he wanted her. Cole lowered his head to her sweetness.

An obnoxious buzz penetrated the roar of lust in his head. Silent, violent curses thundered through him as he pulled away. The damn phone attached to a strap at his waist was vibrating.

Unable to let Keeley go completely, he grabbed the phone and kept one arm wrapped tightly around her. “Yeah?”

“Cole? It’s Elizabeth Fairchild.”

Dropping his hands completely away from Keeley, he tried to sound halfway coherent. “Elizabeth … what can I do for you?”

As Elizabeth yammered on about inviting him for lunch and making amends over their argument, he watched Keeley’s face as she transformed from glowing, gloriously aroused woman back to the pale, tortured woman she’d been minutes before.

“I’ll be happy to join you for a late lunch. Say two o’clock?”

“Sounds marvelous. See you then,” Elizabeth gushed.

Cole closed the phone. “Looks like I have a lunch date.”

Wrapping her arms around herself, Keeley grimaced her sympathy. “Lucky you.”

“I want you to come with me.”

She gave a small, startled laugh. “I don’t think so. On a good day, I don’t feel particularly kindly toward Elizabeth. Today I would probably scratch her eyes out.”

His mouth tilted as that image came to his mind. “How about we do a little manipulation of our own? She thinks she’s in such control all the time. Let’s throw her off a bit. Will you play along with me?”

Her eyes darkened and Cole caught a glimpse of the sexy, passionate woman she’d been in his arms. Though his body throbbed with need, Cole couldn’t act on those feelings. Hell, he’d told himself time and again he
couldn’t repeat what had happened before. And what had he done? He’d almost made love to her in the woods. If the phone call hadn’t come, they’d be lying in the grass and he’d be inside her right now.

“I would love to play with you.” Then, as if she realized how her words sounded, her eyes widened and her face flushed a pretty pink. She swallowed and added, “Manipulating Elizabeth sounds like fun to me. What’s our plan?”

The image of her words caused another surge of arousal so hard, Cole had to grit his teeth to concentrate. “We’ll double-team her. Whatever I say, no matter what I say, you go along with … but remember, it’s all an illusion.”

The trust in her eyes was almost more than he could handle. Calling himself all kinds of a fool, he held out his hand to Keeley. As they walked hand in hand back to her home, Cole saw a new hell emerging … this one of his own making. And there wasn’t a damn thing he could do about it. No matter what decision he made, he was doomed.

An hour later, Keeley found herself standing with Cole on the Fairchilds’ front veranda, waiting for Patrick to open the door. She still didn’t know what he planned, but she knew one thing: she trusted him.

She trusted Cole
. What an odd thing for her to admit. Trust had never been an easy thing for her. And now, realizing how incredibly stupid she’d been, she fully anticipated it would continue to be difficult. However, she knew in her heart that Cole was a man she could believe in. It felt strange to admit that about someone she’d known for only a few weeks. It was also very freeing.

She’d known Stephen for seven years, had given him her heart and her body … and he’d betrayed both. She knew to her soul that would never happen with Cole.

Their kiss still strummed through her senses. Every cell in her body vibrated with sensual heat and awareness. She was suddenly aware of her clothes on her skin; everything felt sensitive, alive. Just the memory of how his hard body had felt pressed against hers as his calloused hands cupped her breasts caused deep flutters in her womb. If Elizabeth hadn’t called, would they still be in the woods? Would Cole be making love to her right now? This time she hadn’t had to ask. Cole had been the initiator.

Hearing the door swinging open, Keeley took a bracing breath, her focus once more on the reason they were here.

Patrick opened the door wide, a semi-welcoming smile on his face. Since Keeley had never seen him look so pleasant, she was faintly startled. Her surprise quickly changed to anger at his reaction when he saw her standing beside Cole.

Nose tilted upward, Patrick said, “I believe Mrs. Fairchild was only expecting one for lunch, sir.”

Watching Cole’s fist clench and his jaw jerk fascinated her, so much so that her own resentment at Patrick’s rudeness completely vanished. Here was a man who would defend until death what he cared about.

“Keeley and I both want to apologize for our rude behavior the other day. I’m sure Elizabeth could find it in her heart to allow us that.” Cole’s charming words belied the anger Keeley felt radiating from him.

Before the butler could answer, Elizabeth’s voice rang out from the stairway. “Let them in, Patrick.”

Cole stepped inside; Keeley came in behind him. “Elizabeth.” Cole held out his hand. “Thank you for inviting me to lunch. I insisted that Keeley come, too. We both want to apologize for our rudeness the other day.”

Elizabeth moved toward him, her haughty expression melting slightly at the handsome, charming man in front of her.

Keeley couldn’t see Cole’s face, but the deference in his voice and his apologetic words sounded sincere. She was glad he’d warned her to go along with whatever he said, no matter how it sounded. Otherwise, she would have been appalled at his change of attitude.

Cole moved aside then, allowing Elizabeth to get a glimpse of Keeley.

With a stiff, arrogant nod, she acknowledged Keeley, then she looked up at Cole. “And that’s why I invited
you
here. I, too, thought perhaps we could let … shall we say … bygones be bygones?”

Trying to get into the spirit of things, Keeley said, “Cole was terribly rude to you and I wanted to extend my apologies, too. After all, you are Hannah’s grandmother.”

Distaste flickered in Elizabeth’s eyes before they were masked with an icy politeness.

Uh-oh, wrong thing to say
. Diplomacy with this woman had never been her strong suit. Apparently acting wasn’t either.

Cole defused Elizabeth’s anger by drawing attention back to him. “I was exhausted. Said things I didn’t mean. Can you forgive me?”

Elizabeth tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and tilted her head. “Well, we all make mistakes.”

Keeley worked hard not to laugh. Hell, the woman was actually flirting with him.

“You’re very gracious,” Cole said, and then he smiled.

Keeley caught her breath in a gasp. Thankfully, he’d never smiled at her like that … she wasn’t sure her heart could handle it.

“You know, I’ve been asking around town and came up with some interesting information. I wondered if you could shed some light on it.”

Looking as though butter wouldn’t melt in her mouth, Elizabeth leaned toward Cole and practically purred, “I’ll do my best.”

Okay, this was getting ridiculous. If either of them moved half an inch closer, they’d be touching noses. Being jealous of her former mother-in-law, of all people, might be ludicrous, but that didn’t stop Keeley from wanting to step in between them and tell her to stop ogling her man.

“Why don’t we make ourselves comfortable in the sitting room. Cook will call us within the next few minutes for lunch.” She shot a cold glance at Keeley.
“Patrick, I suppose you might as well tell the kitchen staff that we have one additional … guest.”

Being treated like a trespasser barely dented Keeley’s consciousness. Content to allow Cole to work his magic, she followed behind them, feeling a bit like a wayward puppy.

Cole waited until both Elizabeth and Keeley had sat down before he dropped into a chair across from Elizabeth. And doing what he’d told her he was going to do—keep Elizabeth off guard—he asked, “How well did you know Kathleen Daniels, Keeley’s mother?”